Low Fuel Warning

My 25 Tundra has the larger 32 gallon fuel tank. However distance to empty can be under 25 miles and the most I can put in the tank is around 25 gallons? With 7 gallons in the tank why is distance to empty less than 25 miles?? I would expect to put closer to 30 gallons in the tank at full up.

 

Asked and answered

 

Not a mechanic but for the sake of discussion: Quick search states:
"When the fuel gauge on a 2022 Toyota Tundra (with a 32-gallon tank) indicates "empty," there are typically around 4-6 gallons of fuel remaining in the reserve." As I understand fuel pump is in tank and part of the reason is that the fuel keeps you fuel pump lubricated and cooled. Another search states Toyota keeps approx. 10-15% of fuel in reserve, which would be about right for your 32 gal. tank.
addition 04/06/25 : Thinking back my dad had a old rambler and I distinctly remember a trip in which he put somewhere around 90 miles on the car after the gauge read empty. He pretty much knew how far he could get on empty. He ran out of gas just as he pulled up to the gas pump.

 

If you're towing heavy you'll be thankful for the reserve 7 gallons especially if you get caught in traffic or the middle of nowhere - I believe that is the primary driver to the massive reserve... the mileage can vary so drastically w/ these trucks that people who aren't really paying attention would run out of gas and then blame it on Toyota.

 

I'd rather have roo much than too little! Although I never let my truck get below 1/4 tank anyway.

 

Long as I drive mine I will never know if low fuel light works or not. I refuse to pump $100 in it all at once.

 

this ^

towing , you’ll be happy to have that reserve fuel

 

Just resurrecting an old thread to include my recent experience.

Yesterday, on our return trip to Colorado from a fly fishing adventure in Montana, with our drift boat in tow, I tested the limits of my '23 Tundra's fuel tank further than ever before. I ran it until it was showing 4 miles to empty. At the pump, I put in 29.8 gallons.

So, at least on my truck, it appears to have about 2 gallons of reserve fuel when the MTE is at 0, not 6-7 gallons that others have reported.

 

When did your low fuel light come on though - that is when I would consider that you're running on 'reserve'. When the low fuel light comes on you have ~6-7 gallons left. The MTE is unreliable especially while towing. If you weren't towing during the entire calculation period then MTE will bias toward more miles than are actually available (because your average MPG is biased up).

 

The low fuel light came on at 20 MTE. At that time, the display was showing 15.1 mpg due to towing into a stiff headwind. Any way I slice it, there was no more than 3 gallons in the tank when the low fuel light went on, not 6-7 gallons.

I actually pushed it a lot closer than I normally do because I remembered guys claiming the reserve was 6-7 gallons. That wasn't the case for my truck, yesterday.

I just wanted to forewarn folks that there might not be as much reserve as you think.

 

I dipped mine down to 8 mile till empty last week. Was going to the field and back to field trailer for important work and kept forgetting to get fuel till it said 8 miles till empty

 

That's why I asked if you were towing the boat for your entire tank of gas. 15.1 MPG seems high for towing.

 

It’s a small drift boat.

 

Got it - you got me scratching then.

The way I solve for gallons left is taking my miles per tank (I reset TRIP A each fill) divided by average mileage per tank (which automatically resets each fill as well). That tells you how many gallons you've consumed - it's been reliably at ~25/26 gallons each time the low fuel light has gone and it's confirmed then when I fill up. I don't follow MTE at all, period.

 

My experience has been 2-3 gallons as well once the low fuel warning comes on

 

On page 516 of my '23 Owners Manual it says the Low Fuel Warning Light..

"Indicates the remaining fuel is approximately 3.4 gallons, or less".

This is consistent with my experience.

 

Thanks Matt. Good to know there is a light. I’ve not pumped in more than 28 yet and that still wasn’t on empty. I think MTE was about 80.

 

Your weellcome. Theres a low fuel light and a Low Fuel warning message that pops up. Both came on at 20 MTE on my truck. You can get rid of the warning message by hitting the Back button on your steering wheel. The low fuel light remains on until you add fuel.

I travelled 16 more miles after the warning light turned on. That should have consumed about a gallon of fuel at the mileage I was getting at the time. I filled the tank at 4 MTE, and put in 29.8 gallons. So, the Owner's Manual's claim of 3.4 gallons, or less, of reserve when the warning light comes on appears to be spot on.

 

Grand Highlander HV is getting a software logic update for low fuel warning light. They have similar complaints as some tundra owners have with the low fuel light coming on earlier than they like.